By Mrs Liz Illingworth, Principal

Term 2 is rapidly passing us by, and there has been much to celebrate.  

Mid-year Reports

Families will receive an academic mid-year summary for all students via Schoolbox on Thursday, 6 July. Parent/Student/Teacher meetings are being held Wednesday, 26 July, Week 1 of Term 3. Communications for booking an appointment time have already been shared. Please ensure you take this opportunity to discuss your child’s progress.

Vaping, Sexting and Social  Media for Our Middle School Parents

We all care about the development of our Middle School students, and we know, as both parents/guardians and staff, that these years can be very challenging for our young people.

This is why we want to support each of you.

On Wednesday, 5 July, after spending two days with our Year 7 and Year 8 students,  Marty Ogle will hold a  parent/guardian information session to support you in supporting your young people.  

During the session, Marty will share valuable insights around social media use and vaping and provide you, our parents, with practical tips on how parents can increase their children’s positive self-identity.

We really hope you can all attend.  Please RSVP at this link: https://stpatricks.co/PWS2023
(Either click on, or copy and paste the link into your internet browser.)

1873

150 Years of Catholic Education - Celebrating Nano Nagle and the Presentation Sisters

The Presentation Sisters were founded by Nano Nagle in Ireland in 1775  to meet the needs of the poor. The Presentation Sisters arrived in Australia in 1866 with four sisters and five candidates to set up schools and educate young people in Hobart, Launceston, Bellerive, Lindisfarne, Queenstown, Beaconsfield, George Town, Karoola, Lilydale and Longford and took over a school at New Norfolk in order to provide education. 

In 1873 the Presentation Sisters commenced educating the young people of Launceston on the site of Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School. Our College honours this heritage and the significant contribution that the Presentation Sisters have made to Catholic Education in Launceston and their contribution as a founding order of our College.

We are grateful for the many Sisters who continued the mission of Jesus in the spirit of their founder Nano Nagle. Like Nano Nagle, these sisters had open hearts and minds; they displayed courage and saw the value of education for all young people.  

1873 is printed on our College ‘hoodie’. It is printed so that we acknowledge the Presentation Sisters' contribution to Catholic education in Launceston on the Sacred Heart site, and for us as a College, this represents a significant milestone - we recognise Sacred Heart College as a part of our College heritage, and we recognise and give thanks for the Presentation Sisters.  

The motto of Nano Nagle, ‘deeds not words’ - reminds us that our deeds are much stronger than our words - what a great message for our students to live by.

Senior Sports Finals

What a great day Saturday 18 was! The 2nds Football contested a great match against Hutchins, narrowly missing out on the State Premiership, while the 1sts, in a tight game that saw scores locked at full time, defeated Hutchins after 10 minutes of extra time. Congratulations to all those staff and students involved in the finals over the past weeks. 

Senior Exams

Congratulations to our Year 10, 11 and 12 students who have now completed their mid-year exams.  The approach from students to these important mid-year exams has been nothing short of exceptional. Congratulations to all involved.

NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC Week, 2-9 July, is an opportunity for all Australians to participate in celebrations and learn about First Nations culture. The 2023 theme is 'For Our Elders' to highlight the important role that cultural knowledge holders and leaders bring to their communities. We look forward to this celebration during Week 11 at the College, which commenced today with a wonderful flag Raising ceremony.

Wishing all a great final week of Term 2, and we look forward to the return of all students on Tuesday, 25 July.

By Ms Kate Rockliffe, Director of Catholic Identity & Mission and Head of Learning - Religious Education (Yrs 11-12)

Founders’ Day - Friday, 29 September

In the first week of Term 3, College families will receive an electronic link to the Founders’ Day Giant Raffle. This will be different from previous years. Instead of a physical raffle book, tickets can be purchased via the link, starting at five for $5.00, with other options also available. Ticket sales are open to everyone.

This year’s prize pool totals an amazing $4950, thanks to our incredible sponsors!

The raffle will be drawn on Founders’ Day, the last day of Term 3, Friday, 29 September.

Pilgrimage

On May 29 and 30, many of our Year 11 Study Line RE students attended an incursion hosted by Leanne Prichard from Catholic Education Tasmania. Leanne spoke passionately about her experiences walking the Camino Santiago (the Way of Saint James) - a renowned pilgrimage that has been on the bucket list of many Christians since the 9th Century. Students learnt about the logistics of planning for a pilgrimage and listened to stories of comradeship and spiritual connection. This incursion was part of their curriculum focus, wherein students plan for their own pilgrimage.

Mr Jack Prosser, our Ascent Coordinator, was recently presented with a personalised poster by the Edmund Rice Foundation as a token of their immense gratitude towards St Patrick's College. The Foundation relies on the generosity of Australians to support communities and individuals affected by poverty and injustice. They expressed their thanks to the College for our donation and for standing in solidarity with them and the vulnerable individuals they assist, following the tradition of Edmund Rice. We are proud to support such a worthy cause and continue to make a positive impact together.

The Catholic Standard is the official print publication of the Catholic Church in Tasmania. Produced monthly, the Catholic Standard reports on local, national, and international issues of importance to the Catholic Church and community. 

View the Latest Issue Online

Read the latest issue of the Launceston Parish Bulletin.
(PDF – Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) - 2 July 2023 - ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER SUNDAY)

By Mrs Alanna Stretton, Deputy Principal – Learning & Achievement

Mid-year Examinations – Years 10, 11 & 12

Senior students - Years 10, 11 and 12 - have just completed their mid-year examinations. The mid-year examinations are an important aspect of Senior School learning. These examinations are vital in the preparation for the TASC end of year examinations as they enable students to learn study and time management skills, consolidate their learning, and reflect upon the areas which need to be further developed before the end of the year. Results from the mid-year examinations will be released on Schoolbox over the coming weeks as teachers complete the marking and moderation process.

Mid-year Report & Parent/Student/Teacher Evening

Parents and students will receive a formal Mid-year Report in the last week of Term 2. The report format will include an A-E rating for Australian Curriculum subjects (Years 7–10), criterion ratings for TASC courses and Competency Ratings for Vocational Education courses. Attitude and Engagement to Learning ratings are provided on Schoolbox each term. Ratings against the Strands from the Australian Curriculum have been removed from Years 7-10 reports, and teachers are providing ratings against these for each assessment task on Schoolbox.

Teaching staff continue to provide online feedback throughout the year via Schoolbox, and parents are encouraged to regularly look at Schoolbox to check on their child’s progress. If you are unable to access Schoolbox, please contact the College.

Students will receive a Pastoral Report from their Tutors as part of the Mid-year Reporting process. Parent/Student/Teacher interviews will be held on Wednesday, 26 July, from 4.00 – 8.30pm (the first Wednesday of Term 3). These interviews will be held face-to-face at the College. Information regarding booking appointments will be included in the information with mid-year reports at the end of the term.

On Monday, 24 July, teachers will be participating in a Catholic Education Tasmania professional learning day for all teachers focused on high impact teaching practices, prior to students returning on Tuesday, 25 July.

 
Pathway Planning & Subject Selections for 2024

Subject Information Evenings
In Week 4 of Term 3, the College will be holding Subject Information Evenings to assist students in making informed subject selections for 2024. All students and parents are strongly encouraged to attend these information evenings as it is an important part of the process of ensuring students select the most appropriate subjects to study in 2024. This is a wonderful opportunity to speak to subject teachers and Heads of Learning. The Senior School Subject Information Evening is being held on Tuesday, 15 August, and the Croagh Patrick and Middle School Subject Information Evenings are being held on Thursday, 17 August. We look forward to seeing you at the Information Evenings, with more information being provided closer to the evenings.

Updated Subject Selection Guides will be available on Schoolbox at the end of this term.

Year 10 Futures Day

Year 10 students are participating in a Futures Day on Thursday, 6 July, the last week of Term 2. Futures Day provides students with an opportunity to gather information and make informed decisions regarding school subjects, courses, and future careers in preparation for Year 11 subject selection. Year 10 Futures Day will feature an interactive mini expo, where students can have their individual questions answered by staff and representatives from different education and training institutions, industry representatives, and the Australian Defence Force. Additionally, UTAS will have student ambassadors from various faculties showcasing interactive displays. The afternoon session is dedicated to introducing students to the range of TASC and Vocational Education and Training (VET) subjects available in years 11 and 12.

Year 10 Pathway Planning Interviews

The College will be inviting all Year 10 students and parents/guardians to make an appointment to attend a Year 10 Pathway Planning interview with their child. These interviews provide an opportunity to discuss career options and possible pathways, give a more detailed and personalised explanation of the TCE and ATAR and how each student can optimise their subject choices, including TASC subject choices and VET opportunities at the College in Years 11 and 12. These interviews will be occurring over the first three weeks of Term 3 in the lead-up to Subject Advice Night in Week 4 of Term 3. Parents/guardians will receive more information before the end of term about booking an interview time. You only need to book one appointment as each staff member involved covers the same information.

To view the Pathway Planning flyer, please click on the image below.

Year 11 Pathway Planning Interviews

Year 11 students and parents/guardians will also be invited to make an appointment to attend a Year 11 Pathway Planning interview, either with their child after school or for Year 11 students on their own during the school day. These interviews are designed for Year 11 students who need some support and guidance to assist them with their subject selections.

By Ms Jodie White, Future Pathways Coordinator

Year 10 Futures Day

On Thursday 6 July, all Year 10 students will participate in the compulsory Futures Day. The main focus of the day is informing students about subjects offered in Year 11 and 12 and familiarising them with terminologies such as the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC), Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE), Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR), Vocational Education and Training (VET), Australian School-based Apprenticeships (ASbAs), along with prerequisite subjects for university and vocational pathways, apprenticeships, traineeships and Australian School-based Apprenticeships.

The day will be fun, interactive and informative, consisting of guest speakers, subject information sessions and a mini-expo.

A mini-expo provides students with the opportunity to gather information and explore the various pathways and options available to them, such as university, apprenticeships, work, VET, and GAP Year. A great range of organisations will be attending with displays, simulators and activities planned; these are:

• UTAS - a variety of faculties represented with activities
• Australian Maritime College - AMC
• TasTAFE - a variety of study areas represented
• Australian Defence Force
• Tasmania Fire Service
• Arbre Hub Forestry Tasmania
• Hydro Tas
• Tasmanian Hospitality Association
• TasBGAS - Tasmanian Building Group Apprenticeship Scheme
• TACC - Tasmanian Automobile Association
• Mas National - apprenticeships, traineeships and ASbAs
• MEGT – apprenticeships, traineeships and ASbAs
• Windeward Bound - youth and leadership sailing programs 
• Royal Flying Doctors Australia
• Fairbrother
• Masterbuilders Tasmania
• Haywards/Crisp Bros.

The Year 10 Futures Day is an opportunity for students to start to think, plan and ask questions as they prepare to make important decisions about their subject choices for Years 11 and 12.

Year 12 UTAS Applications – Opening Soon

UTAS School Leaver Expo – Win a MacBook Air - REGISTER

ADFA Virtual Open Day

Upcoming Future Pathways Career Event

Ava Aly-Mehlert is embarking on an exciting journey to Switzerland with Scouts Australia on a two-week visit to the Kanderstag Scouts facility. This adventure is part of the celebration for Scouts Australia's 100th Birthday. Ava has been selected as one of only 200 scouts from across the country to represent Scouts Australia in this special contingent. We hope you enjoy the experience, Ava!

Sebastian Hardinge has been selected to attend the high-performance 2023 Little Athletics Australia National Camp on the Gold Coast in October. This exclusive camp only invites three under 15 athletes from each state, making Seb's invitation a testament to his skills and dedication. We look forward to hearing about the camp on his return.

Andrew Battle is currently participating in an Olympic pathway training for taekwondo sparring in New South Wales. This is a significant achievement, and we wish Andrew all the best during his training.

During the Term 3 holiday break, the College's Front Office and Accounts will remain open. However, please note that on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 July 2023, there will be limited staff available to assist you.

The Front Office and Accounts will fully reopen on Monday 24 July at 8:00am.

Term Break Holiday Opening Hours

College Uniform Store CLOSED - Friday 7 July - Monday 24 July 2023

The College Uniform Store will be closed during the term break. The Store will close on Thursday, 6 July at 4:00pm and will re-open on Tuesday 25 July from 8:00am to 4:00pm.

During this period, orders can be placed at the Midford City store or online by visiting www.midford.com.au (online orders will be filled when the College Store reopens).  Registration details and instructions are provided on Schoolbox under the Uniform tile. Once ordered, items can be collected from the College or Midford City stores (no cost) or home-delivered (with cost). 

Join us for an evening of Sacred & Solemn Sounds at St Finn Barr's Church in Invermay on Thursday, 6 July at 7:00pm. Rediscover your inner peace, and enjoy the melodies performed by the talented St Patrick's College Concert Band, accompanied by special guest artists from the University of Tasmania Community Music Programme's Brass Ensemble. We extend a warm invitation to everyone. Come and be part of this beautiful event. Entry by gold coin donation.

Students - looking for something exciting to do on Thursday nights? Join us at the awesome youth group hosted by Fr Chatty! It takes place on the second and fourth Thursday evenings during term time, from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. You'll find us in town at St Ailbe's Hall, 46 Margaret Street. Get ready for interesting conversations, thinking points and discussions, and loads of fun. Don't miss out - come along and give it a try!

The Tasmanian Catholic Schools Parents Council is a collaborative and representative organisation dedicated to assisting Catholic School parents (and children), ensuring they have voice at both a local and national level. They also aim to help with parent engagement within Catholic Education as a whole, and to help and empower parents to play an active role in the education of their children.

View their latest newsletter here.

We are thrilled to announce the success of our school's participation in the Push-up Challenge! Our staff and students came together and raised an impressive amount of $3,433 (the 2nd highest school amount in Tasmania) through this unique fundraising event.

The Push-Up Challenge aims to promote better mental health and wellbeing among students by fostering connections, encouraging physical activity, and providing educational resources.

This year, the challenge revolved around completing 3,144 push-ups over a span of 23 days in June, symbolising the lives lost to suicide in 2021. The organisers recognised that this might seem like a daunting number of push-ups, but participants were encouraged to engage in any form of exercise, whether it was star jumps, cartwheels, sit-ups, or squats. The focus was on staying active and supporting one another.

Not only did our students rise to the occasion by embracing physical activity, but they also demonstrated their compassion and commitment to mental health awareness. By raising funds for this cause, they have made a tangible difference in the lives of individuals struggling with mental health challenges.

On Saturday, 18 June, School of Rock production students Molly, Mal and Max, and Ms McCarthy-Oliver, made the trip north to see Don College’s very own School or Rock production.

Getting to see it from the audience’s perspective for the first time, the students had a great time reliving the fond memories from their own musical, which showed at the College in May.

Welcomed by the production’s Director, they also had the chance to head backstage, congratulate the cast and crew and meet their own character. Overall, a great evening for all involved. 

By Mr Harri O'Toole, Sports Coordinator

SOCCER

The Junior Soccer roster is having a small break, ready for the start of T3! 

NETBALL 

After a well-enjoyed two-week break from Saturday morning Netball, it was time again to meet at Hoblers Bridge early in the morning. The forecast wasn't too promising, and the courts were wet upon arrival, which caused a small delay in the start time, so water could get moved off the courts. Games soon started, and with the milder weather, it was certainly not as cold as the first couple of rounds.

SPC Teams played 11 games across both courts, with all variations of results being covered, close games, and dominant performances on either side.

In the Junior 1sts division, SPC Gold (coached by parent duo Lisa & Emma) continued their unbeaten streak of four games and established themselves on the top of the ladder.

Junior 2nds teams Gold & Green are currently battling for the number five spot, with both teams having a two-win/two-loss record, both sitting on 12 points. Their first-round clash ended up in a 14-12 win for Gold, reserving them bragging rights until the next time they meet.

Junior 3rds is also a highly competitive roster, with parent Elinor's SPC White team being unbeaten so far, holding a five-win record. The other two SPC teams, Gold & Green, are competing at the moment for the number three spot, both having 17 points and a three-win/two-loss record. Next week will see one of them take the lead when both teams face each other in an SPC vs SPC clash before we go into the term break.

The Seniors 1sts started to see some changes this week, with Gold finding their form, coming back from last week's close 17-20 loss against SOC, winning this round 22-9 against LCGS. Team Green couldn't find the form from previous weeks and moved down to the number 5 spot on the ladder, one point behind Gold.

Our Senior 2nds weren't able to field a team due to short-notice changes to the roster and pre-arranged commitments.

A special thanks to parent Natalie Colgrave, who generously volunteered to coach the Year 8 Div2 Green team on short notice! 

BADMINTON

In the final roster match on Monday, June 19, our 2nds secured a win, bringing their record to 4-4. Unfortunately, this placed them just behind SOC Navy (5-3), resulting in them missing the opportunity to compete in the NSATIS final. Congratulations on your season.

Our Senior 1sts competed in the NSATIS final against Scotch Oakburn on Monday but, unfortunately, couldn't secure their 3peat. A huge congratulations and thank you to Ms Cath McQuie for her dedicated work as PIC. Here's hoping for a strong performance next year!

HOCKEY

This Friday, our U/16 Girls will have a match against Tamar Churinga at 7:00pm, while the U/16 Boys will be facing Queechy Penguins at 6:00pm.

CROSS COUNTRY

College Cross Country
After many delays, we were able to successfully host a cross country event for Year 9 and Year 10 students. Unfortunately, due to persistent rain, the Year 7 and 8 students were unable to participate. We would like to extend our congratulations to all the runners and recognise the outstanding performance of our top five runners, listed below. 

All Schools Cross Country

Listed below are some highlights from last week's All Schools Cross Country at the balmy Symmons Plains. Believe it or not, the weather was absolutely amazing, creating a perfect atmosphere for the event. Despite facing some scheduling conflicts that prevented us from fielding a full team this year, we are confident that SPC will make a strong comeback in the future. Every single one of our students performed admirably, and it was a pleasure to witness their dedication and effort.  

We had several top-10 finishes -
Isabella Davie U/20  3rd 
Xavier Davie U/16 6th
Keiam Wynter U/18 7th

We had a number of top-20 spots too -
Ella Frerk U/16 19th
Alexandra Elliot U/15 11th
Savannah McKenzie U/15 16th
Lexi Peitsch U/14 12th
Alana Fulton U/14 15th
Luke McKenzie U/16 12th
Philip Cooper U/18 17th
Ben Hay U/14 17th

FOOTBALL

Wellbeing Year 7/8 Football

After two forfeits, our Year 7 Boys team is ready to have their 2nd game of the year here at St Patrick's College on the main oval against Kings Meadows High School. 

The girls have been luckier being able to play all of their games, but are yet to put a score on the board. Coach Price is using this as the motivator this week to get the girls ready for their match against Launceston Church Grammar School here on our Old Boys oval. 

Boys 2nds XVII SATIS Grand Final

The 2nds final was a fantastic game, although the older Hutchins side proved to be too strong and emerged as the winners.

SPC 4.4.28 defeated by HUT 6.5.41

Goals: Henri Bergamin 2, Sam Husband 1, Alex Zegveld 1

Best: Alex Zegveld, Alex Towns, Sam Husband, Toby Morrison, Abdu Beshir, Hamish Bateman, Tom Mineall, Cooper Kedey

Boys 1sts XVI SATIS Grand Final

What an incredible final it was! By now, we hope that all of you have had the chance to witness the unforgettable moment that James Leake created, marking a truly historic moment in SPC sporting history.

SPC 7.7.49 defeated HUT 6.6.42

Goals: Leake 3, Harper, Pfieffer, Presnell, Sullivan

Best: Leake, Presnell, McCormack, Roney, Pfieffer, Page, Woodcock-Davis